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Conflict in Syria

Syria’s Assad cautious about Trump, but ready to fight terrorism together

The Syrian leader said he does not expect much from Trump, "who will be under influence of various forces in his administration."

Syrian President Bashar Assad Alexei Druzhinin/Russian president's press service/TASS

Syrian President Bashar Assad

© Alexei Druzhinin/Russian president's press service/TASS

BEIRUT, November 16. /TASS/. US president-elect Donald Trump will become a "natural ally" of Damascus if he starts fighting against terrorism, Syrian President Bashar Assad said in an interview with Portugal’s state-run RTP broadcaster.

In his first public comment on the results of last week’s presidential election in the United States, the Syrian leader said he does not expect much from Trump, "who will be under influence of various forces in his administration."

"So far, I have nothing to say about what Trump will do during his tenure. But if he fights against terrorists, then we will become allies, along with Russia, Iran and other states that seek to defeat terrorism," Assad said in the interview, released late on Tuesday in Damascus by Syria’s state-run SANA news agency.

"We need to wait until he takes office," Assad continued. "But we wish that the United States starts to avoid biased opinions, respects international law and stops interfering into affairs of other countries."

The Syrian leader slammed as "immoral" the support of "terrorists, jihadists and religious extremists" in order to attain political goals in the Syrian conflict.

"Our fight against terrorists will benefit not only Syria and its people, but also the states of the Middle East and Europe. Alas, many politicians do not realize it and refuse to understand this fact," he said.

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Syrian conflict

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